Diamond Jubilee's 'Gloriana Royal Rowbarge' to set sail
Tim Ewart
Former Royal Editor
The boat that will lead the Queen's Jubilee pageant on the River Thames will be launched today.
'Gloriana' is a 94ft wooden rowbarge that has been built at a secret location in west London.
It has been designed to resemble vessels in Canaletto's famous painting of an 18th century river pageant on the Thames Gloriana will be rowed by eighteen oarsmen, including Britain's greatest Olympian Sir Steven Redgrave.
The Diamond Jubilee pageant on June 3 will see 1,000 boats making their way down the Thames.
The Queen and Prince Philip will travel aboard The Spirit of Chartwell, a river cruiser that has been re-decorated and re-furnished for the occasion.
Earlier this year, ITV News was given access to the secret location where boat builders were hard at work beginning the construction of 'Gloriana'.